traditional German Christmas carol by David Gregor Corner (1585-1648) in the Groß-Catolisch Gesangbuch, 1631 as excerpted by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) but with a new melody by Elliot Miles McKinley and arranged by Jonathan Posthuma.

Es flog ein Täublein weiße

“Hoary Vervain” Verbena stricta [Summer]
“Showy Goldenrod” Solidago speciosa [Summer, Autumn]
“Purple Coneflower” Echinacea angustifolia [Summer]
“Wild Bergamot” Monarda fistulosa [Summer]
“Fragrant Giant Hyssop” Agastache foeniculum [Summer]

Premiered by Plumeria Winds, August 17-19, 2023

Inspired by the beauty of Minnesotan wildflowers, this new collection will feature various types of reed trios. The overall plan is to musically portray 54 species of plants native to Minnesota, represented as musical themes, spanning 18 configurations of oboe, bassoon, and one other woodwind instrument (e.g. flute, clarinet, saxophone, other double reeds). Starting with the earliest spring flowers through the summer and into fall, the collection represents the richness and biological diversity of Minnesota’s prairies, woodlands, and lakeshores.

Trio No. 6 from "A Musical Field Guide To Minnesota Wildflowers" for Ob, Cl, Bsn

“Forget-Me-Not” Myosotis scorpioides [Spring]
“Spring Beauty” Claytonia virginica [Spring]
“Virginia Bluebell” Mertensia virginica [Spring]
“Virginia Waterleaf” Hydrophyllum virginianum [Spring]

Premiered by Plumeria Winds; Aug 17-19, 2023

Inspired by the beauty of Minnesotan wildflowers, this new collection will feature various types of reed trios. The overall plan is to musically portray 54 species of plants native to Minnesota, represented as musical themes, spanning 18 configurations of oboe, bassoon, and one other woodwind instrument (e.g. flute, clarinet, saxophone, other double reeds). Starting with the earliest spring flowers through the summer and into fall, the collection represents the richness and biological diversity of Minnesota’s prairies, woodlands, and lakeshores.

Trio No. 5 from "A Musical Field Guide To Minnesota Wildflowers" for Ob, EbCl, Bsn

Anonymous Old Frisian text
​Text in Old Frisian and English
Francis A. Wood, translator

November 10, 2023
RenegadeEnsemble, Saint Paul, MN

An Old Frisian Poem

Portrait of a Yellow Man (Porträt der Gelbe Mann, 1921 (Portrait V) - No. 118 from Paul Klee : Painted Songs
Ben Roidl-Ward, bassoon
October 11, 2022; UNI, Cedar Falls, IA

Portrait of a Yellow Man (Porträt der Gelbe Mann, 1921 from Paul Klee : Painted Songs

No. 159 "Harmony Blue=Orange" (Harmonie Blau=Orange, 1923) from Paul Klee : Painted Songs

Any number of players journey through a series of interludes and episodes, getting lost in the painting through improvisation.

Premiered on November 7, 2024 at the Vanguard New Music Series at Zion Community Commons in Saint Paul,

Zack Kline, violin
Aaron Kerr, cello
Jonathan Posthuma, piano
Adam Rappel, marimba
Andrew Myers, vibraphone


Harmony Blue=Orange (Harmonie Blau=Orange, 1923) - No. 159 from Paul Klee : Painted Songs

No. 46 "Underwater Garden" (Unterwassergarten, 1939) from Paul Klee : Painted Songs

A bright orange fish swims peacefully through an underwater landscape of blue, green, purple and gray.

Premiered on April 5, 2024 at the Vanguard New Music Series at Zion Community Commons, Saint Paul.

Gavin Carney, trombone
Samantha Hogan, trombone
Justin Schoenherr, trombone
Jason Wiley, trombone

Underwater Garden (Unterwassergarten, 1939) - No. 46 from Paul Klee : Painted Songs


“Prairie Smoke” Geum triflorum [Spring]
“Wild Blue Phlox” Phlox divaricata [Spring]
“Purple Prairie Clover” Dalea purpurea [Summer]
“Wild Lupine” Lupinus perennis [Summer]

Premiered by Washburn Faculty Reed Trio
Friday, November 8, 2024

Trio No. 2 from "A Musical Field Guide to Minnesota Wildflowers" for Fl, Ob, Bsn

Collection of recorded compositions of Jonathan Posthuma, composer.

New tracks tagged #jonathan posthuma